Dodgers At The Close of the 2004 NLDS

[Crash Course]

I caught the last out of the Dodgers-Cardinals LDS last night. Well, I didn't "catch" the last out - I was not on the field, of course - more so, I saw the last out on TV.

As the Cardinals were celebrating on the field, I saw something that I have never seen in 30 years of watching post-season baseball. The Dodgers allowed the Redbirds sufficient time to hug and kiss and pat fannies and then the L.A. squad came on to the field to offer congratulations to the St. Louis team.

I felt like Merlin in the movie Excalibur (http://www.indiayogi.com/content/mythology/f_excalibur.asp) when Arthur was knighted in the moat outside the castle - 'What's this? I've never seen this?'

It was incredible, to say the least. My first reaction was: "What class! This is a precedent. No team at the big league level at the end of a post-season series has ever done this before. I cannot believe that I'm watching this!"

And, then, as quickly as I was washed over with excitement on the gesture and respect for the Dodgers, I did a one-eighty.

I saw Eric Gagne and Albert Pujols hugging and Dodger Gagne smiling like he just won the lotto. Then I saw Jose Lima hugging a Card - I think it was Julian Tavarez - and Dodger Lima too was smiling and acting like he was Richie Sambora on the day he was marrying Heather Locklear.

Come on Dodgers! Having incredible class is one thing. But, you were just waxed by the Cardinals in the NLDS. What's with the smiles, etc.?

You think Bob Gibson would have smiled in that situation? How about Kirk Gibson? Randy Johnson? Frank Robinson? Jack Morris? George Brett? Of course not! And, then again, maybe that's why they were once World Champions and this Dodger squad was one and done in the 2004 playoffs.

[Crash Course]

Looks like I was not the only one shocked on this one. From: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/oconnor/2004-10-11-oconnor_x.htm

.......You will never see the Yankees and Red Sox engage in that group hug the Dodgers gave the Cardinals the other night, a good-sport, bad-idea embrace ripped straight out of the California tee-ball manual.........

"What?" Willie Randolph barked when informed of the Dodgers' shocking show of humanity. "I heard they did something, but no, don't tell me they did that."

[guidry49]

just wait until the Yankees and Red Sox "embrace" after this series is over....followed by a freeze over in hell.

Honestly though- it wouldn't be such a bad idea. It doesn't have to be a Gagne-Pujols love-fest...but a quick handshake would be classy for both teams.

[KCBOOMER]

Yeah, god forbid, that baseball players engage in anything resembling the sportsmanship shown by the teams fighting it out (literally) for the Stanley Cup.

[captain_napalm]

Yeah, god forbid, that baseball players engage in anything resembling the sportsmanship shown by the teams fighting it out (literally) for the Stanley Cup.
Exactly. We have players now with the same agents, players who train together, players who probably associate together more now than before.

I don't see anything wrong with what happened in the NLDS. Similar things have happened in many baseball/softball leagues around the country

[Crash Course]

Who was it that said "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser"?

[nyy26wc]

Who was it that said "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser"?

Vince Lombardi

Meanwhile, Leo Durocher said, "Show me a good loser and I'll show you an idiot."

[guidry49]

Don't know if anyone caught this- but after Damon flew out after his 15 pitch at-bat- he and Lieber looked at each other, and they each gave each other a look as if they were saying "nice at bat". Not sure if any words were exchanged, but I enjoy seeing things like that.

[Crash Course]

Happens all the time. When Pedro whiffed Lofton at one point in Game 2 of the 2004 ALCS, they gave each other looks - but, not as nice as the one you mentioned.

[Crash Course]

Seems this topic has made it's way to MLB's radar: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2004/news/story?id=1905500

"I don't like that," said Bob Watson, baseball's vice president of on-field operations. "We play 162 games. We play a different game. A lot of times, you see guys do it underneath the stands, out of sight."

Watson played 19 seasons in the majors, most of them in Houston. Another former Astros star, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, agreed.

"I think it's just not my nature to do it," he said. "The style of pitcher I was, I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing that."

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, pointed out that the sport has a rule against fraternization on the field. But he added, "We'd look like ogres if we came in and told people not to do it."

"I don't have a preference," he said.

Chances are, post-series handshakes will become a subject for executives to talk about. Look for it to be a topic at the general managers' meeting in November.

[captain_napalm]

I saw that article yesterday.

IMO, they're making a mountain out of a molehill. MLB has more important matters to worry about

[KCBOOMER]

I don't see anything wrong with it, but baseball tradition sure isn't in favor of it. I can't imagine Frank Robinson or Bob Gibson going out to congratulate the team that beat them or even accepting congratulations from a team they beat.